


Never Forgotten

by tigereyes45



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, F/M, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Future Fic, References to Depression, dragonslayer fan kid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-18
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-27 15:40:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30125046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigereyes45/pseuds/tigereyes45
Summary: Huáng Xiao Long's birthday is right around the corner. Determined to find her gifts she goes searching in her parents' closest. Hidden deep inside she finds an old photo album instead, and it raises questions.
Relationships: Jaune Arc/Yang Xiao Long
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	Never Forgotten

**Author's Note:**

> This was an anon request on tumblr. They requested: Equal parts fluff and angst, a Dragonslayer kid shows their parents a photo album with a picture from the dance and asks why Dad’s wearing a dress and who the lady with red hair is.

Huáng has always been curious. Her mother often states just how similar she was to her aunt in that regard. They both had questions, and would often voice them even when they're afraid. It was a point of pride for the young Xiao Long. In fact it was wanting to be more like her wonderful aunt that led her to digging through her parent's closest. It was originally to find her birthday gifts. She's only going to turn ten once, and who would it hurt to take a quick peak? No one, she decided before rummaging through their old clothes in the deepest parts of her parent's closest. With several face fulls of cobwebs, several plugged sneezes caused by the dusty corners, and many piles of forgotten clothes she was left with the bitter taste of failure in her mouth.

There was no presents anywhere. She could search the closest for the rest of her life and in the end she'd still not find them. Bitterly Huáng admits her defeat, but now her curiosity was left unsated. She hadn't found what she set out to discover, but that didn't mean her adventure was a waste! Filled with a sense of what her dad calls gung-ho. Huáng dives back into the closest. She'd either find something worthwhile, or her parents will find her there. A short time out, with maybe a few rounds of training after, and she'd be back in here. Still searching for something worthwhile. An answer to a question she doesn't even have yet. There was always something interesting buried in their closets. Anything her parents didn't have a place for was always abandoned it their furthest corners. Waiting patiently to be found by her and remembered. Even if they weren't her birthday presents.

It takes a long while before the young nine year old finally finds something other then clothes or shoes. What was buried beneath three coats was a shoe box. A shoe box older then the other pairs of her father's. It has a picture of yellow combat boots on the side. So it must've belonged to her mom. With the lid already cracked her dark blue eyes are drawn to this mystery box. Quickly she looks over her shoulders. No one had come to search for her yet. Tying her bright, blonde hair back into a ponytail, Huáng takes a deep breath. This could be a hidden treasure! Why else would it be tucked away so deep in this mess. Tucking the shoe box under her arm, Huáng shoves her way past the hanging clothes, and out of the closest.

Now safely positioned on her bed with it's green sheets and complimentary red pillows, Huáng pushes her best friend, an old beowulf stuff toy aside. Henrietta was in the way. No one smart got in her way when she was solving a mystery. Just like no grimm can stand in the way of her aunt when she's out on a mission. Carefully she sets the lid aside, as if mistreating it could leave permanent evidence of her escapade. Inside the shoe box was a book. Neatly printed in the leather cover were the words, 'Forever Memories'. She takes the book out of the box. With a quick wipe the dust is gone and the brown leather looks almost new. As if the book had barely been touched for however many years it was in there.

So of course the next logical step is to open it. The first picture was tucked inside a large plastic slot on the other side of the cover. There was a picture of herself as a baby. Her father, Jaune holding her as Yang smiles proudly while winking at the camera. Standing behind the two of them was Ruby, barely taller then her parents in the photo with one arm wrapped around each of their shoulders'. Standing next to Yang was the rest of team RWBY. Weiss and Blake smile awkwardly at the camera as they put just a small amount of space between themselves and her family. On the other side of her father was his team. Nora made no such effort to put space between Huáng's family and herself. She's got one arm looped around Uncle Ren's and her other hand tucked politely in the crook of Jaune's. Just enough to hold the two of them close to her without dropping little Huáng. Oscar stands with an embarrassed smile on the other side of a proud smiling Ren. Even Oscar was unable to escape the close knit group as he was leaning against Ren's side. Held there by Ren's free hand around his shoulders.

She's so enraptured by the faces of the dead it takes a long time for her to look throughout the rest of the book. Nora had been dead for the last four years. She couldn't even recall what shade her hair had been. Let alone what her voice used to sound like. Her father had such trouble talking about her and Uncle Ren. He'd choke up anytime he ever even thought of the two of them, and yet there was a book right here. A book that could show her the adopted aunt and uncle that died when she was little. Her memories hold a little of Ren. Specifically whenever she thinks back to her sixth birthday, it was the sad look in his eyes. He was thinner at her party then he was in the photo. In fact this was the only picture she has ever seen where he was happily smiling. Maybe he was always such a sad man.

Huáng doesn't know how he died. Her parent refused to let anyone talk about it when in the home. There was always this painful look form her father, and a steady steel-eyed gaze to whoever came close to bringing him up. All she knows is that he was sad about Nora. He missed her, and so Ren threw himself into work. He went on mission after mission alone, only ever taking a break when there was something happening with her. Still her father reminds her how much her passed on aunt and uncle loved her. He had several stories about the way her uncle would only smile when she was around. How far he would go to finish a mission just to be there for her birthdays.

But if he cared so much, why is he gone? Should she even call them family? They've been gone for so long.

No longer enjoying the questions the image stirs up Huáng moves on. The first few pages were of moments with her and her family. Her first steps chasing after her Aunt Ruby. That time her semblance activated as she watched her parents train. Her parents before and after photos when they had her. Her first day of school. These photos were placed erratically and no where near in chronological order. Almost as if someone had printed them all off together and randomly placed them into these pages. She flips through the pages, pushing past all the photos of her and the adults until gradually things did begin to have an order.

The organized photos start with a picture of her parents playfighting. Her mother holds Jaune in a headlock as he smiles up at her. Gradually they appear younger. More of their friends show up in the photos. The story they tell become less about the two of them and more about their teams. With every flip of a page the photos reflect moments that aren't even told in stories to her. Teams RWBY, and JNOR standing in front of a statue of a young women in a snow covered city. To a photo of her mother sleeping on her bike outside of a bus station. There's even a photo of her dad with a huge cut going up his arm. It must've healed well because she doesn't remember seeing any scars on his arms. At least, none that large.

Eventually she finds the pages of their time at beacon. Nearly none of their photos were of the two of them together here. In fact almost all of them were just of their teams. Her mother and Aunt Ruby chasing each other around a pond. Her mother's yellow metal arm now one of muscle and skin. There were a dozen more of team RWBY lazing around the school. Even more of pranks being done. One where Weiss woke up with a whip cream mustache. Another where Blake was drenched in water with a bucket of fish on the other side of the door. Half of them were just of her mom and Aunt Ruby.

The ones with her father were few and far between. There was Nora and Ren, but no Oscar in these photos. Instead someone with long red hair and a gold circlet was in them. She had pretty green eyes and a soft smile. In all these photos of Beacon Nora and Ren were always together. They appear even closer in these older photos. Yet her eyes keep drifting towards the red head. No one had ever mentioned her. In all these stories they have of their past nothing. All the fun adventures her parents love to share. She's never mentioned in one of them.

Carefully she slips the largest photo from it's socket. One with her father's original team standing side by side. An emotion she isn't quite sure how to describe fills her chest as she looks at the picture. Her heart beats faster, but her stomach twists something terrible. The same way it does when she eats too many of Aunt Ruby's cookies. Even her nose starts to itch like it tends to when she rolls down the hills nearby. It's impossible for her to know what the emotion is, but she knows what's causing it.

Everyone in that photo, they were all gone now. Everyone except her father. Her father who's still a hunter. Just like her mom. Huáng knows that hunting isn't perfect. It's not safe. People don't return all the time, but her parents always do. Aunt Ruby always has. Why didn't the rest of his team?

"Huáng?" She shoves the picture into the book before slamming it shut. Yes she had expected to be caught but not right now. Not when her stomach hurt.

"What'cha got there, kiddo?" Vainly Huáng pushes the book under the cover. Pale purple eyes follow it as if they were glued. With a smirk she leans against the doorframe. Muscly arms crossed she stretches her feet out to the opposite corner. Yang's body fills the doorway. There would be no escape.

The whole room slows down as Huáng tries to find a way out. There has to be. Her mother can't find out that she had been searching for her birthday gifts. She could just claim she was looking for some of her mother's clothes. Maybe she was curious about how they would look on her. Aunt Ruby had done that several times when they were kids. She told her so! Any excuse would work. As long as her mother didn't think about it for too long and realize the truth. It was just a book. There's no way she would be in as much trouble over some old photos as she would be for searching for her birthday presents.

"Uh," the creaking up the stairs fills the silence quickly. Giving her plenty of reason to stop talking. Dad was near.

"Hey," She sees his long blonde bangs before his face. They were messy with dirt and even a broken twig sticking out. He gives Yang a quick peck on her cheek.

"Your daughter is hiding something." Her tone's playful. That's a good side. Smiling her best, most innocent smile Huáng places her hands in her lap.

Jaune laughs nervously. "Oh no."

"Oh yes."

"You only call her my daughter when she does something that you did as a kid. Did she find her presents early again?" He slips a hand around Yang's waist. Burying his chin in her shoulder Jaune smiles sympathetically at his daughter. Silently he mouths the word, run.

Brushing her long ponytail back Yang throws her blonde locks right into his face. "You're not helping her out of this one."

Jaune coughs. He buries his face into her shoulder using her shirt to brush her hair from his eyes. "What?" Voice breaking at an absurdly high pitch he cries, "Help her! Y-yang come on. I just wanted to cuddle with my adorable, lovely," With a soft jab in his side, Jaune relents. Folding his hands over his sides he looks apologetically at Huáng.

All the while her parents were having their own little show Yang never looked away from Huáng. It gave her absolutely no chance to move. Why was her mother always so focus? Maybe Aunt Ruby would know how to sneak more stuff past her. Though that trick with the cookie jar she taught her hadn't worked either. If only she had a semblance like Ruby's. She could use it to dart down the stairs, straight out the front door! The birds were so quiet now. Did they know?

"Huáng what did you try to hide when your mama walked in?"

"It was just a book!" Which was true. It's just a book. A book she didn't find at all while searching for her gifts. Nah. Just an old book with a bunch of old photos.

"What book?" Jaune asks. Almost tripping, he squeezes his way past Yang into the room. He looks back at her and laughs. Yang juts her head back towards Huáng.

"This one daddy." With a sickeningly sweet voice Huáng uncovers the book. All the color in her father's face disappears.

"Oh." That was the softest she's ever heard his voice. Racking her brain for another example, Huáng's mind goes blank. His blue eyes cling to the book's cover. That recognition was so quick. The realization that this book was actually really important grips her tightly. Huáng freezes in place. Soft fingers, dig into the leather. It's course unlike before. Had she just not noticed, or did the cover change when she wasn't looking? Does knowing that this book actually matters, that it can actually terrify her father? She's seen him fight. He has never balked at anyone. Not even her mother. Never a whimper, no matter the scar. Yet he shakes at the mere sight of this book. Desperately Huáng looks to the only other person she can. Yang.

The bright sunny dragon of Vale. The fiercest warrior to ever grace the land. Her mother. Yang crosses the room with a speed Huáng doesn't even get to see when she watches the two of them train. She didn't even have time to blink and there was her mother. Gently holding Jaune in her arms. Her eyes pierce through Huáng. Had she done something wrong?

"I'm sorry." She starts to hide the book again but her father stops her. He pulls it out from under the covers carefully, as if their blankets could cut the book in half. He moves easily out of Yang's grasp and sits on the edge of the bed. His eyes were distant as they stare at the cover.

"What's wrong with the book mom."

"It's an old photo album."

"What's wrong with a photo album?"

"Nothing's wrong with it. It just holds some, precious memories." Her mother sits on the edge of the bed next to him. Her warm purple eyes still looking on at him.

"Why haven't I seen most of these photos?"

"They're old," As an after thought she adds, "hard to look at."

"Why?" Uncle Ren and Nora she new about. They weren't around anymore and that made dad sad. The photo album was filled with pictures of them, but her parents had never tried to hide the two of them from her before. In fact the only person that was in some of the photos she didn't recognize was the red-haired woman.

Letting out a sigh her mother bites her lip. She squeezes her eyes shut the way she always does when trying to answer Huáng's questions. "Because they're-"

"Is it because of the red haired lady?"

Yang looks to Jaune. She's nervous, hesitate, but he's smiling now. As if the bad cloud had finally moved from above his head.

"Her name was Pyrrha. She was an old friend. My first partner ever when I arrived at Beacon."

"I thought Ren and Nora were your first partners." If she was before them then why didn't her father ever talk about her?

He laughs. That was when Huáng knew the storm had passed completely. Her father was sad but it wasn't the bad kind of sad. Not the sort of sad Uncle Ren had been in her brief memories. Jaune closes the book and places it on the night stand next to the bed. He falls back onto the bed with a little oomf. Short strands of his yellow hair brushes against Huáng's pants. It tickles her legs just enough to make her laugh. Yang picks Huáng up. Her mother's arms were as strong as always. Being lifted felt like she was becoming weightless, even as it ends with a snug hug.

They fall back onto the bed next to her father. Poking her nose he smiles sadly before continuing. "We had teams of four. There were partners, like your aunts Ruby and Weiss, and your aunty Nora and uncle Ren." He stretches his hands up towards the ceiling. He holds up two fingers on either hand. "Two partners find each other and then they find another team of two. Then boom," he taps his hands against one another. He closes one hand and holds up four fingers on the other. "a whole team of four."

"Does that make sense my little phoenix?" Yang gives her cheeks a little pinch.

"Yeah."

"Great. Now next time you want to look through this book you have to ask first." Jaune pushes himself back up off of the bed.

"And we moved your presents out of the closest." Yang adds as she follows suit.

"Unfair!" Huáng crosses her arms and pouts. As her parents start to leave she realizes there was one more question she had. "So I get who the red haired lady was, but why was dad wearing a dress?"

Jaune's face turns tomato red. "Wait what?" Yang couldn't stop laughing to answer. "That photo is in there?"

Her mother holds her stomach as she struggles to speak. "It was a wonderful night. Would've bene a shamed if the best moment hadn't been preserved."

"I can't believe you didn't tell me you still had a copy of it."

"Oh don't feel too bad. My dad has some pictures of Uncle Qrow in a skirt from back in school."

"So where's the photo of you in your prom dress?" Her father was moving his arms around quickly. Yet despite all of his energetic talking Yang merely stood still and watched him with a pleasant smile.

"Destroyed. It was a boring dress anyways."

"Plain white dresses did seem like the theme that year."

Yang clicks her tongue and points her finger guns at him. "Exactly." They were lost in their own world. Huáng wasn't sure if that was entirely normal because she never saw anyone else get like that besides them, but her parents were always smiling during these little sessions of theirs. It wasn't like they were arguing, not really. It was surprising to hear that either let alone both of her parents had worn dresses at some point. Huáng had never seen either of them get dressed up in those kinds of clothes before. The photo may have been old but what would her father look like in one now?

She slides off the bed. Skipping across the room towards her parents who were now right outside the room in the hallway she smiles. Huáng raises her voice just enough so she would absolutely be heard. "So can we all wear dresses to my school meeting next week?"

Jaune and Yang look at their daughter surprised. Her mother smiles nervously at her dad. His own smile was much larger. "Of course sweetie."

With a sigh her mom rolls her eyes. "Guess we have to go dress shopping again."

"It'll be fun. Just the three of us! We'll get matching outfits!" He picks Huáng up and sets her on his shoulders. "How does that sound?"

"Perfect! I want a green one!"

"Green's not as boring as white."

Yang rolls her eyes and laughs. She was definitely looking forward to the shopping trip too. Her mom may never go out of her way to look pretty, but she always was. Maybe one day she'll be as tall and beautiful as her. Huáng hopes she will be.


End file.
